A drop-in retirement celebration for Denise "Gobie" Gobrecht was recently held at Penn Manor High School.

Gobie was born and raised in Lancaster city and graduated from J.P. McCaskey High School, where she was a varsity field hockey, basketball, and track and field athlete. After high school, she attended Lock Haven State College and played field hockey and basketball. She coached field hockey for 44 years - including 16 years from 2005 to 2021 - at Penn Manor School District.

About 100 players, coaches, and parents attended the retirement celebration. Penn Manor superintendent Mike Leichliter also made an appearance. All of the players who dropped in signed a jersey in permanent marker for Gobie to keep. Former athletic director Jeff Roth kicked off the celebration with a video call, which was followed by a speech from PMHS alumna Emma DeBerdine. Afterward, the microphone was passed around as people shared stories about Gobie. Pat Kline, father of PMHS alumna Cassie Kline, wrote a poem titled "What Is a Gobie?" which he framed and read out loud at the event.

PMHS alumna Brooke DeBerdine noted that when she thinks about her field hockey career, her thoughts go to Gobie because Gobie was there from the beginning. Brooke started playing field hockey at the age of 12 on a club team, and Gobie was one of her coaches. After graduating from PMHS in 2017, Brooke attended the University of Maryland and continued to play field hockey. On some weekends, Gobie traveled to Maryland to attend some of Brooke's games. "I know she does the same for other Penn Manor athletes," commented Brooke. "Her dedication to her players is really amazing."

Several parents commented on Gobie's commitment to her players, including Brenda Groff, mother of PMHS sophomore field hockey player Tristan Groff. "Coach Gobie is a one-of-a-kind person," stated Brenda. "She has made an impact on Tristan on and off the field with her tremendous work ethic and her love for the game and each player. She taught Tristan fundamental skills that she can use every time she steps on the field. She always challenged Tristan to believe in herself and trust in her ability and skill. Her decision to retire is huge, and Tristan and the rest of the team will miss her presence and leadership."

While Gobie served as assistant coach for the PMHS field hockey team, the Comets captured the PIAA state title in 2008, 2014, and 2017.